From my first and only snow removal experience, the city fails on every level.

Being an outsider, I have read on up this town. Here are the flaws.

1: Coming from New York City, we knew that laying down SALT is critical to keeping roads ice free. It does not matter about the temps, lay down tons of salt and it will still be there to help when the temps go above 15 degrees. Also, SALT every single road multiple times.

2: SAND all intersections heavily. I did not find this to be the case in Madison in this last storm.

3: I did not see follow up plows today to remove left over ice.

4: All the snow should be taken care of like they did in New York City - put the snow into dump trucks and cart it to the river, and ore it physically away. The idiotic snow mounds at the intersections directly around the capitol are a perfect example.

5: I was told by one of my co-workers, a local, that the real reason the Mayor does not remove the snow correctly has nothing to do with the budget, but that he is obsessed with the lakes. (?) She claims the Mayor would be fine with a few people dying due to the lack of salting, plowing, and sanding, than having the lakes 'bloom' during the summer. If this is true, the mayor should be ashamed of himself for putting lake water above the lives of citizens.

Finally, to the residents of Johnson and Gorham, PLEASE dig your cars out. Letting your cars sit encrusted in snow reminds of of the parasite class neighborhoods in Brooklyn back home. It looks tacky.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:From my first and only snow removal experience, the city fails on every level.

Being an outsider, I have read on up this town. Here are the flaws.

Firstly, Welcome! Enough with pleasantries

TimeMasterFlex wrote:1: Coming from New York City, we knew that laying down SALT is critical to keeping roads ice free. It does not matter about the temps, lay down tons of salt and it will still be there to help when the temps go above 15 degrees. Also, SALT every single road multiple times.

We have a lake system not just in Madison, but Dane Co. It is a great system and if healthy is also a great source of revenue from those who wish to use it for fishing, boating, etc...That salt destroys that system. Not only would Lakes Mendota and Monona be affected but, Wingra, Waubesa and the Yahara river down through Stoughton. I agree that we need salt but we also need to use it sparingly. It's not a "Madison" thing. Learn more here. We lose life in the lakes, we lose dollars.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:2: SAND all intersections heavily. I did not find this to be the case in Madison in this last storm.

Agreed.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:3: I did not see follow up plows today to remove left over ice.

I did and I saw one this morning as well. Look harder.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:4: All the snow should be taken care of like they did in New York City - put the snow into dump trucks and cart it to the river, and ore it physically away. The idiotic snow mounds at the intersections directly around the capitol are a perfect example.

Seriously? Where would you propose that snow be placed? Farmer Ted's land? If you haven't noticed there is no equivalent to the Hudson here to cart it off and dump into the ocean.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:5: I was told by one of my co-workers, a local, that the real reason the Mayor does not remove the snow correctly has nothing to do with the budget, but that he is obsessed with the lakes. (?) She claims the Mayor would be fine with a few people dying due to the lack of salting, plowing, and sanding, than having the lakes 'bloom' during the summer. If this is true, the mayor should be ashamed of himself for putting lake water above the lives of citizens.

I don't like Mayor "Dave" but your co-worker is an idiot. Drivers with low behind-the-wheel I.Q. driving in conditions they shouldn't be in, kill people. Thousands of folks get around without causing an accident. Tell your co-worker to please get off the road.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:Finally, to the residents of Johnson and Gorham, PLEASE dig your cars out. Letting your cars sit encrusted in snow reminds of of the parasite class neighborhoods in Brooklyn back home. It looks tacky.

I don't have as much of a problem with the owner(s) of those cars as I do with the city not ticketing and towing those vehicles. Ticket and tow accordingly and the problem becomes solved.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:From my first and only snow removal experience, the city fails on every level.

Being an outsider, I have read on up this town. Here are the flaws.

Firstly, Welcome! Enough with pleasantries

TimeMasterFlex wrote:1: Coming from New York City, we knew that laying down SALT is critical to keeping roads ice free. It does not matter about the temps, lay down tons of salt and it will still be there to help when the temps go above 15 degrees. Also, SALT every single road multiple times.

We have a lake system not just in Madison, but Dane Co. It is a great system and if healthy is also a great source of revenue from those who wish to use it for fishing, boating, etc...That salt destroys that system. Not only would Lakes Mendota and Monona be affected but, Wingra, Waubesa and the Yahara river down through Stoughton. I agree that we need salt but we also need to use it sparingly. It's not a "Madison" thing. Learn more here. We lose life in the lakes, we lose dollars.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:2: SAND all intersections heavily. I did not find this to be the case in Madison in this last storm.

Agreed.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:3: I did not see follow up plows today to remove left over ice.

I did and I saw one this morning as well. Look harder.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:4: All the snow should be taken care of like they did in New York City - put the snow into dump trucks and cart it to the river, and ore it physically away. The idiotic snow mounds at the intersections directly around the capitol are a perfect example.

Seriously? Where would you propose that snow be placed? Farmer Ted's land? If you haven't noticed there is no equivalent to the Hudson here to cart it off and dump into the ocean.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:5: I was told by one of my co-workers, a local, that the real reason the Mayor does not remove the snow correctly has nothing to do with the budget, but that he is obsessed with the lakes. (?) She claims the Mayor would be fine with a few people dying due to the lack of salting, plowing, and sanding, than having the lakes 'bloom' during the summer. If this is true, the mayor should be ashamed of himself for putting lake water above the lives of citizens.

I don't like Mayor "Dave" but your co-worker is an idiot. Drivers with low behind-the-wheel I.Q. driving in conditions they shouldn't be in, kill people. Thousands of folks get around without causing an accident. Tell your co-worker to please get off the road.

TimeMasterFlex wrote:Finally, to the residents of Johnson and Gorham, PLEASE dig your cars out. Letting your cars sit encrusted in snow reminds of of the parasite class neighborhoods in Brooklyn back home. It looks tacky.

I don't have as much of a problem with the owner(s) of those cars as I do with the city not ticketing and towing those vehicles. Ticket and tow accordingly and the problem becomes solved.

The lake system and the revenue it brings to the city is NOT worth even one life taken on the road in winter due to the city refusing to salt/sand to protect the health of the lakes.

If people in this town truly think the lakes are more important than even ONE human life, then I must have moved to bizzaro land.

Folks I am tired of reading about how great things are in other city's wonderful snow removal. Minneapolis, what a joke. They never plow the residential streets. My daughter and her roomates were able to go out on the street on ice skates last year. This year the plan for residential streets is to pack the snow down and let people drive on it. And sand, sand is for the beach up there. And, the twin cities put out losts of salt on the main drags, far more than we do here.

And, did you drive in Sun Prairie, Middleton, or Fitchburg the dave after the storm? How about the County highways, other than the beltline? There were the same or worse than Madison.

And, let's not play that loss of life card. If people are killed in an accident during the winter it is almost always due to driving too fast for conditions. If the conditions are bad, SLOW DOWN.

Quit whining, its winter. Leave extra room between cars, start stopping earlier and if you really have to get somewhere leave early.

I'm beginning to suspect this may the prob. Mayor Dave prefers to appoint grateful yes!men in key positions and get rid of anyone that disagrees with him. For the Streets department I want an expert willing to battle for the resources they obviously need.

I'm beginning to suspect this may the prob. Mayor Dave prefers to appoint grateful yes!men in key positions and get rid of anyone that disagrees with him. For the Streets department I want an expert willing to battle for the resources they obviously need.

I agree completely. If Taco was your mayor, you wouldn't end up with a bad taste in your mouth - you'd have a smile on your face and a clear road to get you to the taco store.

With January 4th being the deadline, now is as good as any time to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Madison. Vote Taco people - put a little spice in your life!